Walker, Burke make stops in Northeast Wisconsin

GREEN BAY/KAUKAUNA - A Democrat challenging Gov. Scott Walker says voters are telling her that the state needs to be more aggressive with creating jobs. Walker says his policies are working.

FOX 11 talked to each candidate Monday in Northeast Wisconsin.

Democrat Mary Burke told supporters in Green Bay about her plans to win in November.

"I have just two words for Scott Walker," said Burke. "Game on."

She also described her plan for creating jobs.

"A lot of people are not feeling it in their lives that things are getting better, and I hear that as I travel around the state and I certainly hear it in the Green Bay-Fox Cities area," said Burke.

Gov. Walker was in Kaukauna to announce a business expansion. He says voters face a simple question on Election Day.

"Are you better off now than you were four years ago? And when you look at the unemployment rate, when you look at the number of jobs created, when you look at the number of businesses created in the state," said Walker.

Wisconsin's latest unemployment rate is 5.9 percent. Gov. Walker believes that number will fall to 5.5 percent this summer.

Burke says she would create more jobs by focusing on industries as a whole, like manufacturing. She says she would have an economist work with industry groups to help figure out job needs.

"I hear too often about the job shortages, and we're being reactionary," said Burke. "We have to be proactive in making sure our education system is moving ahead and being able to address those challenges before they exist."

"We've been aggressive in that regard," said Walker.

The governor says he hasn't been slow to act on workforce training needs.

"It's an interesting criticism considering that didn't happen in the previous administration," said Walker.

Walker is referring to Gov. Jim Doyle's time in office. Burke served as Doyle's commerce secretary from 2005 to 2007.

Four Democrats, including Burke, are running for the party's nomination for governor. The state Democratic Party says it backs Burke.